Blow the Candles
by Liz Hollow
Summary: It's Wataru's thirty-second birthday, and Kotone wants to make it the day special. But when he makes a wish and blows out the candles, everything changes for the worse. Wataru/Kotone.


**Blow the Candles**

"Happy birthday!"

If anyone asked me how I fit thirty-two candles on the birthday cake and still managed to make it look delicious and presentable, I would probably just ignore them. It was a miracle that I had baked an edible cake at all. I had wasted nearly six boxes of devil's food cake mix, two dozen eggs, random other ingredients that were apparently necessary, and a bazillion chocolate chip pieces in the process of baking this chocolate birthday cake (and, all right, maybe the last one was an exaggeration—but not by much).

Well, all right, the cake had not come out of the oven looking particularly appetizing. In fact, it looked more charred than that turkey I had made for Hibiki on Thanksgiving last year. That was saying a lot. And this was even on my seventh try making this cake, too. I had just grown too frustrated with my inability to bake by the time I took this cake out of the oven that I no longer cared. As long as it wasn't poisonous, everyone would just have to deal. (It wasn't poisonous; I tried a small piece, and I was still alive.)

I just slathered on the chocolate frosting to cover the disgusting appearance of the cake. I had to say, even though I couldn't bake, I was a great slatherer. I could slather like no one had ever seen before. My cake looked beautiful once I had finished slathering. It just looked so good that no one would even care about the horribly revolting taste beneath all of that frosting. Hopefully I had even slathered enough frosting on that no one would taste the burnt crust of the cake—or the burnt middle… or the burnt chocolate within the middle.

The thirty-two candles were just an extra distraction that added to the overall appeal of the cake.

"I'm… so… surprised," Wataru finally said after staring at my beautiful cake for a few moments. Well, he just couldn't take his eyes off it! And who could blame him? The rest of the Elite Four appeared just as mesmerized as Wataru, but they managed to compose themselves quicker. Wataru continued to stare at the cake like it was nothing he had ever seen before.

"Good!" I exclaimed, placing the cake in front of Wataru. Karin laughed quietly beside him; I simply smiled at her. "I wanted to surprise you on your thirty-second birthday." I paused, smirking now at Wataru. "Man, gramps, you're getting really old."

"Why, thank you, Kotone. I appreciate that." Wataru finally looked away from the cake, grinning up at me from his seat at his table; Karin sat beside him on one side of the table, and Kyō sat across from her. "I will have you know that I am _only_ thirty-two. That's nothing. I'm still alive and kicking, if you have not noticed." Siba coughed from behind me. "Well, perhaps I'm not kicking at the moment."

None of us said anything. We didn't want to upset Wataru on his birthday.

"Hey, but what about you, Kotone? You're twenty already! If we're all old, then so are you," he added, shaking his head accusingly. Then, as if he seemed to realize something, his eyes grew wide, and the color seemed to drain from his face. I pretended not to notice this; I didn't want to think Wataru was going senile just yet. It was still a little early for that.

"No one said anything about the rest of us being old, dear Wataru." Karin looked at Kyō, smirked, and then turned back to Wataru. "It's only a few of you."

Kyō looked a little bothered by the comment, but he chose not the respond. But with his ninja stealth, who knew what he had already done to Karin for that comment without her noticing? Siba, on the other hand, remained stoic; he wasn't _that_ old. The comment had no effect on him for that reason, I gathered.

It was time to move on before Karin insulted anyone else's age.

I pulled a tiny package out of my backpack and handed it to Wataru. Everyone else quickly followed suit, picking little gifts off the floor and out of bags. Nothing big, nothing special, but everything was important, I was sure, to the person who was giving it. Because the person receiving it was important.

He saved mine for last. Siba got him dragon-print bokken sword ("to train"), Kyō got him a kunai ("to be an honorary ninja"), and Karin got him a set of Dusk Balls ("to capture dragons in the night"—though I personally doubted that Wataru needed them). Itsuki couldn't make it, and I could only imagine what he got Wataru.

I got him something just to mess with him; I knew he would appreciate it: sacred ash. He kept losing to me, so if he had the ability to revive all of his Pokémon, he might stand a chance. Maybe.

He apparently got the joke, since he laughed. "Wonderful. Could I also take this to mean you are challenging me again?"

I nodded. "Of course."

"These are very rare," Siba noted, looking at my gift with clear curiosity, though he said no more. He didn't even ask where I had gotten it, but honestly, I didn't even remember anymore. I just sort of had them lying around my apartment. Just a few, at least.

Though I imagined Wataru already knew, having someone else say that seemed to trigger something in his head. "I cannot accept this, then, Kotone." He slid the gift, still in its little box, back over to me, but I shook my head and pushed it back.

"Don't even worry about it. It's yours."

"Kotone." Something in his eyes changed as he said my name… but I couldn't tell what, exactly. All I knew was that this was heading in the wrong direction now.

Then, to end the conversation, I had my Typhlosion light the thirty-two candles on Wataru's cake. I hoped no one would mind their cake well-done.

"Cake time! Blow the candles and make a wish, Wataru!" I encouraged him, and with a big breath and closed eyes, Wataru managed to get every single candle out (save for one, which I pretended not to notice was still glowing in the back and which Karin sneakily blew on while Wataru still had his eyes closed). Then, opening his eyes back up, he surveyed his work.

Then, his eyes flashed to me, barely giving me time to even notice at all. In a moment, they were back staring at the cake.

"I'll go get some plates and utensils… though… well, Wataru, where are they? I'm sorry, I don't know." I smiled apologetically, and I hoped that someone else would know so Wataru wouldn't have to get up and help me on his birthday. No one else suggested anything to me, though, before Wataru stood up. I knew I should have brought my own silverware and plates. Way to plan ahead, Kotone.

"I'll get them," Wataru said, beginning to walk away. I hurried after him into what was apparently his kitchen; he had a very nice house, I noted. I had no complaints about the house where I grew up or my apartment, but this was ten times better than either of those. It had two floors, with a curved staircase in the main hallway when you entered the house. Each room was ornately decorated, dragon statues gracing every corner, I couldn't help but notice. He was so devoted to those creatures, and I admired him for it.

I admired him for just about everything, really: his caring personality, his devotion, his strength. He was just so _perfect_.

Wait. He was twelve years older than me. Stop, Kotone, stop.

"Please, allow me. If you would just tell me where they are, I could get them for you. It's your birthday; you should go relax a bit," I told him as he opened a cabinet and pulled out six plates. He just handed them to me without a word, using silence to quiet me. Sighing, I let him continue to move around his kitchen, this time pulling a large knife for the cake out of a drawer, followed by several forks.

As he went to place them all on the plates I held, he dropped a fork. He made no movement to pick it up, and for a few seconds the two of us both stood facing each other, looking down at the small piece of silverware on the floor. He didn't say anything, and when I finally looked up at him, he was still staring down at the ground.

I put the plates on the counter beside me and bent down to pick up the fork. Setting it in the sink to clean later, I reached into the drawer that he had taken the forks from and grabbed another. Wataru had still not moved from his same position, but as I picked up the plates with the utensils on them to carry out to everyone, he grabbed my wrist. I stopped.

"Kotone, I must apologize for acting inappropriately. You have been nothing but thoughtful since you came here today, bringing me presents and cake when I so obviously do not deserve them. I have been rude and ungrateful in return. I have not once thanked you today, or ever, and I am sorry for more than words can say."

"Wataru, stop. It's your birthday," I said, as if that were an excuse. But he didn't even need one. He shouldn't have been apologizing. I didn't even know what this was really about, but it certainly wasn't my "thoughtful" actions.

"Exactly!" He was shouting now, and I bet that everyone in the other room could hear him. Yet no one came to check on us, maybe because they didn't want to interrupt, maybe because it wasn't their business, maybe because they couldn't bring themselves to. And I didn't want them to interrupt; this was between Wataru and me.

Then, as if completely exasperated from shouting one word, he sighed. "I'm thirty-two, Kotone. You're twenty. You're so young… and I… shouldn't…"

I stared at him, and as his grip loosened on my wrist, I set the plates down and crossed my arms. I understood without his saying anymore exactly what he was talking about. Should I have been disturbed? Maybe. There _was_ a twelve-year difference. But it wasn't like I was a minor, a child. We were both adults here. Just one was older than the other.

"Wataru."

"I think it best if you leave, Kotone."

"Wataru."

"Please, Kotone."

Our names moving back and forth, each speaking the other's, silence jumping suddenly in between. Why wouldn't he talk to me? Why was he so willing to let me go when there were things he so obviously wanted to say? Why, when I thought him so brave, was he acting cowardly, leaving me to guess at the things he needed? Why did I need to ask myself all of these things? Why didn't he just answer them for me?

So, I said, "No." He had been avoiding eye contact with me, but now he looked up, surprised by my vehemence. "I will not leave. How dare you expect me to when you won't tell me anything that I want and need and _deserve_ to hear?" He appeared even more shocked now, his eyes wider than I had ever seen them. "And how dare you ask me to leave when you haven't even asked me my opinion on the matter? When did you turn into this coward I see now? Because the Wataru I know and love isn't you."

Maybe that was harsh. His widen eyes collapsed, closing. I felt a little bad. But not bad enough to take back anything.

After all, I did say I loved him. Subtly, but I did, nonetheless.

"I'm sorry, Kotone, but I—"

"Did you listen to what I just said?" I tried to take all the cruelty I could out of my voice, to speak softly and calmly. And when the realization reached his face, and his eyes open, I kissed him.

Wataru was like my cake. No, he wasn't nice on the outside and burnt on the inside. But it took a few tries to get right—and even when it came out wrong, I was still proud of it. Wataru needed a few chances, this being only one of them. He would mess up, be angry with himself. But in the end it would all come together perfectly.

Blowing out the candles wouldn't be nearly so difficult next time.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I find it hilarious that Lance is a badass in the manga. Seriously, he just _looks_ so innocent… up until you read the manga. Then he looks evil. And it's awesome.

OMG. (Sorry, I had to write it like that—I just did.) My first non-Soulsilvership fanfiction! But you all know how much I love Wataru/Kotone (a.k.a. Lance/Lyra). They just… they're so WONDERFUL together! Look at how he completes her! And just listen to how he speaks to her in the games—he's so in love with her.

Yeah, I know, in my dreams. But whatever. And I suppose the whole pairing is a little creepy. But ten-year-olds shouldn't be going out on adventures anyway. So, she's at least 17 in my mind. And Lance is, like, twenty-four… in my mind. (He's probably closer to thirty, actually, I bet.) So, it's almost legal.

Obviously I made the age difference much larger in this to be more realistic. But not too big. I mean, twelve is big, but… I guess not horrific. Sorry if I scared any of you.

Oh, and this is really short (for me). I hope no one minds.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. Or that cake recipe. But it sounds delicious when it's not burned.


End file.
